One of the antagonizing characteristics of Woody Allen’s professional career is that instead of focusing on his unique and admirable strengths, he continually strives to emulate the works of his idols. In “Shadows and Fog” his imitative goals are two-fold: first to create an homage to German Expressionist cinema, especially the works Murnau, Pabst and Lang, secondly, to emulate the absurdist, existential satire of Franz Kafka. In both paths he fails miserably. Visually, the film is almost impenetrably foggy…and dark. So dark, in fact, the visual design lapses the film into a pointless obscurity so severe it neither usefully functions as homage nor as parody; it simply becomes impossible to discern what is going on under all of the colossal murk.To read the complete review, click the following link to: https://chandlerswainreviews.wordpress.com/the-concession-stand-quick-snack-reviews/

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About chandlerswainreviews

I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pauper, a poet, a pawn and a king, not necessarily in that order. My first major movie memory was being at the drive-in at about 1 1/2 yrs. old seeing "Sayonara" so I suppose an interest in film was inevitable. (For those scoring at home- good for you- I wasn't driving that evening, so no need to alert authorities.)Writer, critic and confessed spoiler of women, as I have a tendency to forget to put them back in the refrigerator. My apologies.

2 Responses to Dim and Dimmer: “Shadows and Fog” (1992)

Oh, don’t go by what I say….hey, wait a minute, that’s exactly what you should do. Even by the standards of some of Allen’s lesser efforts, this is a dismal affair. Unpleasant actually, with a metaphysical ending which, I’m certain, he intends to be profound, but is merely a lot of noise signifying nothing. Of his later films, I found myself enjoying “Small Time Crooks”, not that it isn’t a slight effort, but Elaine May is genuinely amusing.

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If you don't like what you see, what the heck- it's free!

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truth."

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Clearly if this little darling had been better versed in film quotes she wouldn't have ended up as a big bug appetizer. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Enroll today at BIJOUX U., otherwise known as FLIM FLAM FILM TALK, the greatest film blogsite this side of the otherside. Become well versed in filmology, cinemaology and overpriced popcornology all for nuthin' a serving. Just click on the photo above and enjoy the ride. Accredited by the academics at SMARTERIN U. FILM SCHOOL and operating while avoiding the cloud of federal indictment since 1806.

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THE SEEKING OF WISDOM

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FILMS DEMANDING REDISCOVERY:

Michelangelo Antonioni's neglected "Identificazione di una donna" relinquishes the metaphysical mire which had plagued the director for over a decade, and offered an introspective view of life, creation, sex and love. A film worthy of attention and serious reappraisal.

Dusty Things on the Shelf

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OUR MASCOT BENNY

For cryin' out loud, watch your fingers because if he hasn't had his peanut butter, he gets really cranky!

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Converting Populist Stooges Into Critical Thinkers In The Blink Of An Eye!

IMAGES FROM THE DRIVE-IN

Jane Fonda stars in Roger Vadim's 1968 outer space sex comedy, but is it worth the trip in the old Pontiac or does it crash and burn on take-off? Read the review at NITES AT THE DRIVE-IN CINEMA to find out.

MANDATORY CINEMA FOR THE CRITICAL MIND

The essential 1967 Russian film "Viy" was actually the first horror film produced in the Soviet regime.

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All material displayed is protected under copyright 2011 by Chandler Swain, Chandler Swain Reviews and parent companies therefore and whatnot. No material will be copied without the written permission of above parties unless the offender wishes to suffer a cruel fate worse than any experienced by a spouse of any reality program housewife, skank or pseudo-trash celebrity. Thou hast been warned. Just kidding.

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THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : AN INTRODUCTION

What is it we seek from the Cinema? It all depends on your point of view.

For some, the movies are a source of seeking refuge from everyday existence, a release from daily tensions and anxieties. This is escapism and it has been the driving factor of the Populist attraction to the movies since the origin of the form. However, if one were to alter the view and regard film without merely the Populist limitations of escapist diversion but also as an Art Form, the perspective deepens and enters the realm of Critical Thought.

Though inconsistent in perspective, each side has validity, and is actually far more dependent on the existence of the other than would first seem possible. In a nutshell, it is a battleground between perceived verisimilitude against the aesthetic Ideal.

In formulating the foundations of The Critical Establishment,
it is necessary to understand the characteristics of each perspective, to note the seemingly contradictory similarities and disparities, and their often inextricable interconnections.

THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : The Reviewer as Vox Populi

In examining both Populist thought and Critical Thinking in Film, it is useful to define the key players in the field: the reviewers and the critics. Though seemingly cut from the same cloth, there is a world of difference. Reviewers are the professional manifestation of the Populist front; reviewers have a primary focus on entertainment value while critics evaluate under an aesthetic criteria, reviewers reward immediate gratification whereas critics seek artistry.

With the burgeoning of internet filmspeak, there is a misconception that the old model of printed press criticism is being eroded by the emergence of an equal internet critical roster. This, however, is a fallacy. One thing is for certain, even with a cursory glance at popular internet movie sites: reviewers are plentiful and genuine criticism of merit is as scarce as water in the Mojave Desert.

The reviewer will generally spend the bulk of their time reprinting the plot synopsis of a film, often almost verbatim from the printed materials of the studio. While this assists handily in filling a column, it does little to illuminate the worth of a film. The reviewer will often spend an inordinate amount of time relaying such unessential data as background gossip, "best" lists and an alarming volume of space on film finances- usually relating to either the film's budget (as if the writer had a financial stake in the enterprise) or opening weekend receipts, neither of which has the slightest bearing on the film's aesthetic achievement.

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MANDATORY CINEMA FOR THE CRITICAL MIND

Stephane Audran in Claude Chabrol's meditative psychological suspense film "Le boucher" virtually redefines how thrillers should be conceived, by concentrating solely on character rather than narrative, the finale of the film, rather than the standard increase in tension, achieves a far more satisfying sense of personal tragedy.

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